California Private Colleges Ranked by Largest Enrollment
Below is a ranking of the 102 private colleges in California with the largest enrollment of full and part time students. University of Southern California leads the list with a population of 46,566 students.
Enrollment is a measure of the size of the student body. Larger schools are more likely to offer a wider range of programs and services while smaller schools may have a more intimate and personalized experience.
This list is updated annually based on the latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Last updated: March 15, 2026
Data source: IPEDS 2025 survey for academic year 2024/2025 - National Center for Education Statistics.